The Prophecy Read Free Page B

laser-like gaze direct and cutting. The corner of
her mouth lifted, but she didn’t actually smile. “Well, look at you two. All
grown up now.”
    Meg
rose from her chair. Her hand shook as she placed her drink on the table, but she
hid it by linking her fingers behind her back. I wasn’t sure if she was truly scared
of Charley or just nervous, but her voice was cool and even when she spoke.
    “It’s
been a long time, Charley. You look well, and you have a very lovely home and
family. You must be so proud.”
    Meg wasn’t
scared or nervous at all, I realized. An underlying current of hostility passed
between them and I knew thoughts of my mother, and all that she had lost and
would never have or experience herself, were flitting through my aunt’s mind. Something
flashed in Charley’s eyes, too, but I didn’t think it was remorse for my
mother, despite the fact they’d once been best friends.
    Meg and
Charley studied each other only briefly, and yet an entire conversation seemed
to pass between them—I half expected sparks of tension to ignite in the
surrounding air and set the trees on fire. But Charley turned aside, and the
moment passed almost as quickly as it came. She caught sight of Adrian next and
her expression changed abruptly. She threw her willowy arms open wide, nearly
knocking Jasmine over in the process.
    “Adrian!
Come here and give me a hug. It’s been too long. How is it possible that you’ve
grown even more gorgeous since the last time I saw you?”
    Caleb snorted.
“Ease up, Mom. I’m choking over here.”
    A blush
crept into Adrian’s cheeks, turning his normal brown-sugar complexion a deep
russet. He bowed his head in a futile attempt to hide his smile, but otherwise did
as Charley said. He wrapped his arms around her, and Shyla sniffed with
contempt.
    “It’s
nice to see you again,” Adrian said politely.
    Charley’s
gaze narrowed as she spotted Shyla over his shoulder, like a hawk homing in on
its prey, but no words passed between them. Shyla’s posture stiffened, however.
She stood straight-backed, her round chin jutting up and out in defiance.
    Charley
finally released Adrian and turned to Imogene. “Thank you for reaching out to
me and apprising me of—” She cast her eyes to me briefly and then back to
Imogene. “The situation.”   
    I
stared at her. The situation ? Is that really what I was to her; a
problem?
    “I
wasn’t sure what else to do,” Imogene answered. “The circumstances are extremely
unusual, as I’m sure you will agree.”
    “Unusual,
indeed. And you haven’t seen Victor since the incident?” Charley’s eyes darted
to me when she said “the incident,” and I cleared my throat uncomfortably.
    “There’s
been no word from him at all,” she said.
    “Fine. We’ll
speak about this later.” Charley turned her full attention to me then, and I
felt the steely weight of her gaze. “I assume you’re Melody’s daughter.”
    “That
was a wild leap,” Shyla muttered beside me. David laughed, and then conveniently
suffered a coughing fit when Meg nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. Charley’s
lips tightened, but she otherwise ignored the comment.
    I
stood, fumbling my lemonade so that it sloshed down the side of the glass and
onto my hand. I placed the drink on the table and inconspicuously wiped my wet
fingers against the butt of my shorts.
    “Yeah.
I mean, yes. I’m Sarah.”
    Charley
came to stand directly before me, so close that I caught the scent of lavender
shampoo wafting from her hair. Unlike Jasmine’s somewhat jointed thinness, Charley
moved with grace, like a lily in suspended animation on the surface of a pond.
    Meg
once said that my mother and Charley had been two of the most beautiful girls
on the reservation. At the time I thought she’d been exaggerating—a young
girl’s envy of her older sister, maybe. But I could see now that she’d been
right.
    Charley’s
beauty hadn’t diminished with age, despite her tight-mouthed